Years back, I picked up the Thieaudio Monarch mk2 at $1000. After getting the fit right, I discovered the greatest sound of my life, while using it on a 3.5 dongle adaptor for my iPhone. However, when I got things that cost $500 and found that even though the Monarch Mk2 was still greater, the cost difference didn’t match the $500 difference in sound. So I sold it and the $2000 12t by 64 Audio(which was a little better by about 10% depending on the mood you were in) but didn’t live up to anything close to being a $1000 better than the Monarch Mk2, which started this whole process.
Fast forward to today, and The Law of diminishing returns really showed me alot. I wasn’t ever going to buy a $1000 IEM again. But how about a $800 one? Being that I already had a $600 iem I swore by(ie600), seeing the Monarch Mk2 for $800 turned into temptation I gave into. But I seriously doubted that it would still be the world Endgamer it was to me years ago with my ie600 in hand. I literally believed with my whole heart that I was going to feel like I wasted $800 and mentally already preparing for a early return. It was so bad that I felt I might judge it unfairly because I was so biased that the Ie600 was unbeatable even though years ago I was more sure about the Monarch being the Endgame. Basically, it had been too long and I had no idea truly what the sound would be like on my DAC at 4.4 balanced, like I was running the Ie600.
But once it arrived, “The Once and Forever King” of IEM’S who I had nicked named “Kilgharrah” because of fire and scale like faceplate, all things bowed to the KING. Every single IEM I had. All the Blessings, Dunu’s, Ie600, Final Audio’s, Truthears, etc.etc,( even all other Thieaudo products), all fail to its feet. Nothing beat it or tied it, even after all these years later. The Monarch Mk2 remains King. And as most have said in the past, it remains the true today, the Monarch is the best all around iem of which no price tag iem can justifiably beat objectively.
Sure you can find preferences and even issues with fit in some ears that will lead someone to an alternative but nothing up and outright beats the Monarch mk2. This is as true today as it was years ago. Even with Monarch mk3 and Mk4, you will still only find slight changes that can subjectively be better in a small area here or there for some but not objectively a better IEM all-round for all. For example, some people who need more bass than the one presented on Mk2, to me have special needs with their hearing. The bass for the mk2 is the limit I want, as it is powerful and hard hitting with fast decay, and very emotional and gripping. More than this would be fatigue and headache prone for my ears. Ive also notice that bass difference is heavily based on insertion levels and tips. I use Moondrop Spring tips on mine, and my Monarch 2 goes deep inside my ears and this creates a better sound and deeper imaging and tones with everything, even the bass. So you can probably understand why I need nothing more. And if you couldn’t do this, I can understand why you feel you might need more.
But with super levels holographic imaging, power, impact, EST drivers (properly done with detials that are off the charts), and surprisingly a very comfortable design even though large for my ears this is easily endgame. It literally made my #1 IEM (ie600) seem like it had a blown driver when A/B’d the sound differences. The sound differences was evident. The Monarch took everything that the ie600 did and then added more power, more impact, and more engagment in sound. Its mid range is unbeatable and timbre and tonality is unbeatable. The most realistic sounding iem I’ve ever experienced in my life.
At the end of the day I still remember this game is subjective. So I have to be careful not to assume everyone will feel like me. Was it worth $800? Yes easily. Do I get $200 more sound from it over my ie600 or thieaudio Orcle mk3? Yes! I think you have to start there first. After that all I can say is that I made a mistake by letting go of the greatest IEM I’ve ever had in my life and today I have corrected that mistake. “Kilgharrah” was and is the King of IEM’S!
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